What the Hell is the Deal with the Oakland County Child Killer Investigation?

Happy Birthday, Tim

Today my brother Tim would have turned 48. The youngest of four, he would have been the only sibling still under age 50. He only got 11 birthdays. I am coming up on 54.

I never acknowledged Tim’s birthday to my parents. I never called to ask how they were doing on that day. I deeply regret it. Trust me, people who have lost someone appreciate it when you bring up that person’s name. They lived, they mattered; there were lots of good times together. A birthday is something to celebrate, even after a person is gone.

I saw a Facebook post a few days ago that said something like: “I tripped and fell into some feelings, but I’m okay now. I brushed that shit off.” That’s how it works for a while. Until you can’t do it any more. We missed 37 birthdays with Tim. That’s a lot of shit to brush off.

Tim was just a few weeks older than me. I remember following the case on the news. When I heard that he had been killed I was really sad. I cried for him. Even though I never knew him I still felt a terrible sense of loss. Happy Birthday, Timothy King. You are not forgotten.

A summer baby never has to go to school on their birthday. It’s the best feeling to not have to get up and do anything but celebrate all day, look forward to presents and eat cake. Tim celebrated 11 of them, but I’ll bet he filled then with 48 years of joy. Thanks for allowing us all to remember Tim.

Happy Birthday, Tim. Cathy, I think “regret” is a common thread that runs through every quilt of grief in some way, shape or form. There is no perfect way to grieve and no perfect way on how to handle every piece of grief. And we learn a little bit more about grief as time passes.